Amusement apparatus.



PATENTEE FEB. 13, 1906-.

0. ROBERTS. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION EIEED NOV. 1, 1905.

uvvmvroa 051's Raeris By 4 ATTORNEYS orrron.

OTIS ROBERTS, OF WINFIELD, KANSAS. .AMUSEMENTAPPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'Patented Feb. 13,1906.

Application filed November 1,1905. Serial No. 285,472.

' To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OTIS ROBERTS, a citi zen of the United States, and a resident of Winfield, in the county of Cowley and State of Kansas, have invented a new and iImproved Amusement Apparatus, of which the .following is a full,.clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to amusement apparatus; and it consists, substantially, in the details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more-particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to overcome numerous disadvantages and objections encountered in the use of many other amusement apparatus of the kind hitherto devised.

A further object is to provide an amusement apparatus which is simple in construc tion and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, besides possessing the capacity for long and repeated service.

The above and additional objects are attained by means substantially such as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figure 1 is a perspective view of an amusement apparatus embodying. my improvements. Fig. 2 is a part sectional view, in detail, to indicate more clearly the construction of certain portions of the run or track Way em loyed; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view in detai Before proceeding with a more detailed description it may be stated that in the form of my improvements herein shownl employ a specially-constructed frame of suitable height, associated with which is a speciallyconstructed ascending section of run or track .way employed, said section merging at the upper end thereof into another section, which is first descending and then ascending, but in a different plane from that of the said firstmentioned section, the second-mentioned section then merging into a corresponding or re versely-disposed section terminatin in an under or return section, between which and a specially-constructed receiving-section employed there is a gap or space over which the ehicle and the occupant or occupants thereof are carried along a trajectory, there being also a second gap or space between the lower terminal of the-receiving-section and the upper terminal of a final section of run or track way, over which final section the vehicle with each other and again reaches the surface of the ground from whence it started.

.While I have herein represented my improvements-in a certain preferred embodiment, it will be understood that I do not limit myself thereto in precise detail, since immaterial changes therein may be made coming within the scope of my invention.

Reference being had to the drawings by frame of my amusement apparatus, t e same being united at the upper, end, thereof by arched portions 2, the said members of each set being inclined toward each other upwardly, so that the said connecting arched portions 2 are brought practically parallel gether. The members and arched portions in question arepreferably constructed of angle-steel, as shown, and it will be understood that the frame may be of any height desired. Associated with the members 1 at one side of theframe and winding about the same is an ascending spiral run 'or track way 3, the lower terminal of Which rests on the ground, so as to enable ready entrance thereonto of a suitable motor-propelled vehicle, in which may be seated one or more persons or per formers desiring to make the run of the apparatus. Said ascending spiral run or track way 3 is also preferably constructed of anglesteel and comprises continuous parallel rails 4, separated by a space 5, and connected at suitable intervals throughout the spiral by means of braces or, strengthening-strips 6, it being noted that the. said parallel rails are provided at the outer edges thereof with continuous parallel guards.7-for the purpose of maintaining the vehicle ascending the run or track way in proper position upon the said rails. In order to sustain the said ascending spiral run or track way in proper position, suitable parallel upwardly-disposed supportmg-braces 8 are employed, to which one of" the guards 7 is secured at intervals by means of rivets or bolts 9 or in any other suitable way. Said upwardly-disposed braces 7 are also preferably constructed of angle-steel and are inclined to each other at their upper ends for the purpose presently to-be explained.

At the upper end'or terminal 10 of the ascending spiral runor trackway 3 11 me merges into the upper end of a section ii of run or track way, which first rises somewhat at 12 then descends on an incline at 13, thence comparatively close to' the designating characters thereon, 1 1 repre-.

I curving cated by an arrow,

' is apparent braces, additional strengthening means being also employed therefor I of the receiving-section of run or track Way is 1 verse or return section 22, as shown.

suitable way to the upper end of the hereinemployed, to the upper end of which the upsection of run or trackway lower end or terminal of which leads to the downwardly at 14 and upwardly at l 15 to a point 16, as indicated by arrows, thus describing a half-circle, at which point 16 the run or track way merges into a corresponding reversely disposed section 17, which descends on a downward curve at 18, as indithence to a point 19 alongside of the descending incline 13 of the said section 11 of the run or track way in completion of a circle or loop, from which point 19 the run or track way descends at 20 on an incline and terminates in a curve 21 and a re- The curved portions of the sections of 'run or track way referred to which make up the circle or loop explained may be securedin any before-mentioned upwardly disposed braces 8, thus to give rigidity thereto, and said gurved portions may also be secured together Y rigidity thereto. At the opposite side of the structure another set of parallel braces 24 is per portions of run or track way may also be employed for a similar purpose, these braces; 24 beingconnected to the members 1 adjacent thereto by means of sets of parallel connectin braces 25, 26, and 27, the latter being locate at the base 5 line, and the connecting-m braces 26, connected together by other connecting-braces 28, as shown. Inthis way it that a structure is derived capable of withstanding 'all the strainto which the means of brace-plates 23 to lend further? same may be subjected inuse. Located adbraces 8 is a downwardly-curved receiving- 29, the. same being secured in position-in any suitable way, as by means of rops and 31 and rods 32, connecting t e upper end thereof with said 1n the sha e of plates 33, connecting the same with the races. Thesaid receiving-section of run or track way is constructed with parallel rails '34 for the wheels of the vehicle taking the run of the structure, as well as with side uards 35 to maintain the wheels of the vehic e in position on said rails. 1 Located beyond the lower end or terminal the upper-end or terminal of a downwar inclined section 36 of run or trackway, the

round surface, as shown, suitable props 37- eing'employed to maintain this last-named section in position. i 1 From the fore oing it will be seen that between the end 0 the under or return section 22 of run ortrack way employed and the upper end or terminal of the receiving-section thereof there is a gap or space 38, while there is another but shorter gap 39 between the adwheels 41, and

. sault,

. section of jacent terminals of said receiving-section of the run or track wayand the said downwardly inclined section 36 thereof. In the use of the apparatus one or more persons start up the ascending spiral section of the run or track way in an automobile. or other motor-propelled vehicle, and as the vehicle reaches the rise at the upper end of the section 11 of the run or track way it urges over such rise and acquires an im etus which carries it around the portions 0 section of track way which form the circle orloop in an obvious manner, after which the vehicle descends the run or trackway and rounds the curve 21 thereof, thence traverses the under or return section 22 andloops he gap or space 38, as indicated by arrows, and alights onto the receivingsection 29, moving around the same, thence.

over thegap 39 onto the downwardly-inclined section 36 of the run or trackway, and finally on the surface of the ground.v

From the point at which, the section 11 of the run or track way joins with the upper end of the ascending splral section thereof the run or track way is constructed as shown in Fig. 2that is to say, the same is formed with par allel rails 40 for the main wheels 41 of the automobile or other vehicle to move upon, said rails having at the outer" edges thereof the guards 42 to prevent the vehiclefrom falling off at the sides. At the inner edges of the rails 40 are inner guards 43 for the wheels 41 of the vehicle,

having at the upper ends thereof inner parallel rails 44, a ainst the undersurface of which move smal er wheels 45, carried by a hanger 46 on the axle for the it will thus beseen that it is im ossible for the vehicle .to be precipitated be ow when rounding either the circle or loop or the curve 21 and under or return section 22 due to the fact that when the vehicle is upside down it is sup orted by said inner parallel rails 44 in an o vious manner.

The rails 40 in Fig. 2.are shown as connected together at suitable intervals by means of strengthening-plates 46, while the rails 34 of the receiving-section of run or track way 29 areFslimilarly connected by plates 48,as shown in 'g. 3. 4 g 1 It sliould be added that in leaping the said gap or space 38 the vehicle turns a somer- -thus causing the wheels thereof to properly ride upon the rails of the receivingthe run or track way after landing thereon.

Having thus described my invention, I claim asv new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An amusement apparatus, comprising an ascending spiral sectlon of trackway for a I vehicle, and a way mer hg thereof, 5i vided with a rise adjacent to its junction with the spiral section. 2. An amusement apparatus,

descending section or tracktherewith at the upper end comprising e descending section being .pro-

- an ascending's iral section of trackway for a which and said-return-section there is a gap,

vehicle, and a esc'ending section oftrackway and a final downwardly-inclined section dis- 4o merging therewith at the upper end thereof, posed beyond the lower end of said receivingeach section referred to having side guards section to provide another gap.

for the wheel of the vehicle, the descending 6. An amusement a paratus, comprising section being provided with a rise adjacent to an ascending section trackway for a vehiits junction w1th the spiral section. I cle, a descendingsection of trackway having 3. An amusement apparatus, comprising a rise merging withsaid spiral section at the duplicate archedframe members, an aScendupper end thereof, an ascending semicircular ing spiral section of trackway for avehicle, section into which the lower end of the dedisposed about upwardly-dis osed portions scending section merges, a descending semiof said frame, and a descen gsection of, circular section merging at its upper end into 5 trackway merging with the said first-named the corresponding end of said ascending semisection at the upper'end thereof.

circular section, a downwardly-inclined sec- 4. An amusement apparatus, comprising tion leading from the lower end of they dean ascending section of trackway for a vehi scending semicircular section, and terminatcle, a descending sectionof'trackway having ing in a down curve and a return-section, a a rise merging therewith, at the upper end receiving-section between the upper end of thereof, an ascending semicircular section which and said return-section there is a gap, into which the lower end of the descending and, a final downwardly-inclined section dissection merges, and a descending semircircuposed beyond the lower end of saidreceivinglar section merging at its upper end, into the section to provide another ga all the sec- '60 corresponding end ofsaid ascending semicir tions referred to, excepting the s iral seccular section. tion, the receiving-section and fina section, 5. An amusement apparatus, comprising being constructed with rails for the side an ascending section of trackwayfor aveh1- -wheels of the vehicle, and with guard-rails ole, a descending section of trackway having for supporting the auxiliary wheels on the a rise merging with said spiraLsectio'n at the Vehicle, in the inverted position of the latupper end thereof, an ascending semicircular ter, said first-named rails also having outer section into whichthelower end of the deguards. 1 c scending section merges,'.a descending semi- In testimony whereof I have signed my I circular section mergi "at its up r end into .name to this specification inthe presence ofthe corresponding en of sald ascendin two subscribing witnesses. semicircular section;a'downwardly-inclined OTIS ROBERTS section leading from .the'lower end .of the dep Y scending semicircular section, and terminat- Witnesses: ing in a down curve and a return-section, a EMORY W. EINHART. receiving-section between the upper end of L. H; WEBB. 

